Ring pull



Oct. 24, 1939. C. J. STIFF 2,177,554

RING PULL Filed Jgn. 11, 1939 Patented Oct. 24, 1939 f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE 2,177,554 -RING, PULL Charles J. Stiff, Arlington, Mass. rApplicationJanuary l1, 1939, Serial No. 250,376 5 claims. (ci. 16-1-126) My present invention relates to hardware and likey articles of manufacture, more particularly furniture and cabinet hardware, especially ring pull devices. It aims to provide for such articles 5 and devices a simple construction whereby the non-continuous or split rings thereof have their adjacent ends held against objectionable'separation, together with novel methods of making and assembling such devices.

l In the drawing showing by way of example on embodiment of the invention and illustrating means for practising the method thereof:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a ring pull assembly;

l irFig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing the device installed as upon a drawer, door or the like;

Fig. 3 shows the ring of Figs. l and 2 prior to application of the cooperating supporting element;

20 Fig, 4 is a plan of such. supporting element or strap, showing the latter before being bent into ring-enclosing position, looking at the inner face of the enclosing portion of the strap;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the assembled 25 strap, as on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2, with the ring in elevation;

Figs. 6 and '7 are sections as if on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5, respectively showing the ring in its rest or down-hanging position and ,itsV use or out- 30 standing position;

Fig. 8 illustrates a step in the formation of the ring in accordancewith a method of the invention; and I y Fig. 9 is an enlarged view corresponding to a 35 ,portion of Fig. 6.4

Devices of the class described, thatV is, ,ring pulls in general, and particularly for cabinet and furniture hardware, are of two main types, with reference totheir construction. In one type the 40 ring is an integral or continuous element, generallyformed by casting the metal or other material. This type is relatively expensive, involving various finishing operations, and any decorative formations on these rings generally must be applied 45 separately after the ring is formed, at additional cost. In the other main type of ring pull, the ring is formed from a piece of stock, usually a metal wire, rod or bar, or a sheet or strip, in any such instance the ring-forming piece being fashioned 50 into ring shape, generally by bending it into ring form and bringing the two ends substantially together in alinement. This type of ring pull has f heretofore been subject to the main objection that the adjoining ends are likely to separate when 55 the ring is pulled in use. Such tendency may be reduced by brazing or welding the ends but such treatment is itself expensive and also necessitates additional finishing operations. Moreover, end separation. still may occur, as under sudden or heavy pulls. 5

My invention is concerned with this non-continuous, split, or jointed type of ring pull devices and provides a method and means whereby the adjacent ends of the ring are securely held against undesirable separation in use, at a rela- 10 tively low cost.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the ring or ring element I0 of the several figures may be formed of any suitable material, generally metal, preferably a non-ferrous or noncorrosive metal or alloy such as brass or other material adapted for furniture hardware. The stock from which the ring is made usually is cut froma supply in wire or bar form or may be taken from ay sheet or strip, The two ends l i and I2 of the piece are brought together into substantially abutting relation and in alinement, forming a joint portion or section indicated as a whole by the numeral I0a, Fig. 3.

This joint section is fashioned for reception, desirably with capacity for swinging movement, in a. supporting or attaching element or strap to be referred to. In accordance with my invention this joint section additionally has formed thereon lateral abutment formations such as the lugs i3,

I4 of the figures, one on each end of the ring. These may be provided in various ways, but in the.; interest of cost reduction I prefer to diestamp the joint section of the ring, as illustrated in Fig. 8. These abutments or lugs i3, i4 may be 35 at-any location around the cross sectional periphery of the ring and may liewithin the contour of the ring material or project beyond it. Conveniently, and in the illustrated example they are at the inner peripheral portion of the ring and terminate substantially in line with the inner ring circumference, lateral spaces or seats l5, i6 being provided between the lugs and the material of the ring beyond them. Depending somewhat o-n the size of the ring the lugs may be at or substantiallyat the extreme ends of the ring so that, as illustrated, the two lugs stand closely together substantially as a single split tongue or lug element.

The cooperating supporting or attaching strap isindicated as a whole by the numeral il. One such strap is shown separately, prior to assembly, in Fig. 4, and upon a larger scale, in assembled condition, in Fig. 9. This element also may be of anyv suitable hardware material, generally metal, which may be similar to that of the ring or otherwise, the metal or other material being sufficiently ductile to permit of the strap being bent into ring enclosing position, as` illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 5 to '7.

Such strap II includes an anchoring portion I8 of substantially cylindrical or any other desired form. In the illustrated example `said anchoring portion is drilled and tapped as at I8a for the reception of an anchoring screw I9 as represented in Fig; 2. It will b'e understood, however, that the anchoringpo-rtion of the strap may be otherwise formed for reception and securement in the wood or other material D, Fig. 2, of tl'ie drawer, door or the like on which it is to be used. as for example, the thread on the butt of the. strap need not be of the internalor femaletype illustrated.

The strap I'I further comprises a ringreceiving, bearing or enclosing portion 20, having' its outer end beveled or'otherwise.Y shaped, asindicated atl 20a., for conformingy reception in alike shaped seat or formation Ib atv the neck or; inner end of the anchoring portion IB. Thus when the enclosing portion of the strapyisl bent about the ring its end portion 20a conforms substantially to the outer contour of the'anchoring portion, as clearly seen in Figs. 2, 6 and 7. If desired the strap may have a laterallyprojectingY flange or spaced projections IBC at; the proper intermediate point to limit the extent of insertioni of the anchoring portion.- These projections generally take against a base plate or washer: Illa at the outer face of the partto which thel ring pull device is to be attached, as represented.- in Fig. 2.

Further in accordance with my-inventionIprovide on the bearing or enclosingl portion 20 of the strap, at the inner face thereof, spacedwalls, or abutment formations 2I, 22forcooperationf with the lugs or abutmentelementsV I3, I4 of theI ring. Opposing faces of thesefwalls are spaced', in the direction crosswiseof thestrap; sufficiently to receive said lugs or abutment formations. I3', I between them., These abutment formations 2 I, 22 on the strap maybe in the nature of. raised"k portionsV or they' may be provided .byf removing or omitting material from the strap,.sofa'svto1 provide between saidlformations a channel orV recess 23 preferably having defining endwalls 24: and 25, or in some cases the bottomwallof this recess may be tapered into the adjacent por-- tions of the strap. The strap as describedi may be formed by casting, or by stamping, pressing., dieing, cutting'or otherwise shaping it from the blank material or stock,.which may bein. the: form of a rod, bar, sheet or strip.

In assembling the two mainel'ementsvof the ring pull device, the strap II`is placed'transversely of the ring ID, with the lugs or abutment formations I3, I4 of the latter received between the walls 2|, 22 of the strap and in the interven-v ing channel or recess 23 thereof. The enclosing' portion 2E! of the strap is then bent aroundthe ring and its end 20a brought down into matching relation with the anchoring butt I8 of thest'rap, as seen in Figs. 2, 5 to 7 and 9.

In this assembled condition it will be noted, particularly with reference to Fig. 5, that thespaced walls or abutments 2|,.22 ofthe strap stand at opposite sides of the ring lugs or abutL ments I3, I4, in abutting or substantially abut-f' ting relation to them, thus positively and securely interlocking the ends of the ring andfpreventing separation of the latter, in the directionperiphfy erally of the ring, under any ordinary or indeed extraordinary pulling action to which the ring may be subjected. It will further be noted, particularly with reference to Figs. 6, 7 and 9 that the end walls 24 and 25 of the strap recess 23 also cooperate with the locking lugs I3, I4 of the ring ends, in the manner of limiting stops for the swinging movement of the ring relative to the strap.

In its normal or restposition, as inFigs. 2, Gland Qthe'ring assumes azdown-hanging position, Vsubstantially vertically, wherein its lugs I3, I4fabut the end wall 25 of the strap recess. When the ring is lifted for use, its joint section moves pivotally within the enclosing bearing portion of the strap, .the lugs I3, I4 moving along the strap recess 23 until" they abut its other end wall 24 Whichzaccordingly defines the elevated or use position of the ring, substantially as in Fig. '7. Tlie recess 23 of the strap may be made of any length,or angular extent in the assembled position. or.,` the; strap, to. aifordithe, desired angle of movementfor'the ring.r In the above description of'theringiI have referred to a method of makingv the latter: which includes an operation of stamping org'dieing theY joint section |Ua,includ ing in .this operation the formation of the. abutments, or lugs; I3,VI4. 'Ihe condition of a ring immediately following suchdie-stamping operation isV illustrated in Fig. 8. Asthere seen the metal diedlfromxthe joint section is left attached as a web: or so-calledi flash I 0b, Ic. Completion: of: thering is effected merely by breaking or clipping off this flash, as by a tool or die-`r shaped. for the purpose. The completed ring may thenV bezassembled with its strap in the manner already described, or the rings and straps may besupplied separately to the furniture or other manufacturer for subsequent assemblyV byY him;. either when the pull devices are to be installed.v on an article of furniture or the like, or previously. It willA also be understood that in connection Withthefdieing or` stamping of the ring, or separately, the exposed face or the entiretyof thering may be provided with decorative formations and designs appropriate for articles of the class referred to. The invention, as stated,` is applicable toring pulls and ringY devices in general, including not: only furniture hardware, but plumbers hardware and various other` lines.Y

My-l invention,` either asto article or method, is not limited to the exemplary embodiment or steps h'ereinillustrated or described, and I set forth its scope in my following claims.

I claim:

1. Infurnitureand like'hardware, a ring pull device comprising, in combination, a transversely split ring formed of a single length of material fashioned to ring form with'its ends substantially abutting, a lateral'abutment element on each end portionof the ring, a strap to support the ring, saidV strap including an anchoring portion and a bearing portion adapted to be bent upon itself so as to enclose the end sections ofthe ring, said bearing portion having at its inner face formations adapted to bev received at the opposite sidesv of the respective abutment elements of the ring, in the bent position of. the bearing portion of thc strap, positively to lock the ringV against separation of its ends in the direction peripherally of the ring.-

2. A ring pull comprising a piece of stockformed into a ring with the ends of said piece in adjacent alinement, a supporting strap rotat-v ably to enclose the adjoining ring ends, said strap having an anchoring butt for reception in the material to which the ring pull is to be applied and having a ring-enclosing portion adapted to be turned reversely toward the butt portion so as to enclose the ring ends, the inturned end of said enclosing portion then seating against and conforming with the butt portion, spaced Wall means at the inner face of the enclosing portion f the strap, and means on the respective ring ends receivable between said wall means, in the inturned position of the enclosing portion of the strap, for interlocking purposes.

3. A ring pull comprising, in combination, a

- non-continous ring having its ends in adjacent alinement, a lateral lug on each ring end, a supporting strap to enclose the ring ends, said strap having an anchoring butt for reception in the material to which the ring pull is to be applied and having a ring-enclosing portion adapted to be turned reversely toward the butt portion so 1 as to enclose the ring ends, the inturned end of said enclosing portion then seating against and conforming With the butt portion, and spaced formations on the strap adapted to stand at opposite sides of the ring end lugs, in the inturned position of the enclosing portion of the strap, to hold the ring against separation.

4. A ring pull comprising an elongated piece bent into the form of a ring With the ends of said piece in adjacent alinement, a supporting strap rotatably to enclose said adjoining ring ends, said strap having an anchoring butt for reception in the material to which the ring pull is to be applied and having a ring-enclosing portion adapted to be turned reversely toward the butt portion so as to enclose the ring ends, the inturned end of said enclosing portion then seating against and conforming with the butt portion, and abutment formations on the strap and on the ring ends, said formations cooperating in the inturned position of the enclosing portion of the strap so as to lock the ring ends against separating movement, and permitting swinging movement of the ring in which the ring ends move rotatively within said enclosing portion of the strap.

5. A ring pull comprising, in combination, a split ring having its ends in adjacent alinement, a lateral lug on each ring end, a supporting strap having a portion to enclose the ring ends, and a recess at the inner face of the ring-enclosing portion of the strap, of a Width to receive the lugs on the ring ends and hold the latter against separation and of a length to alford the desired swinging movement for the ring between downhanging and out-standing positions, the end portions of said recess providing limiting stops for said ring movement.

CHAS. J. STIFF. 

